Ball and socket closure for specimen collection container incorporating a resilient elastomeric seal

Abstract

A closure for sealing the open end of a specimen collection container from the environment is provided. The closure includes a generally spherical-shaped ball having a passageway extending therethrough, with the ball including an axle permitting rotative movement of the ball thereabout between an open position and a closed position. The closure further includes a socket mounted on the open end of the collection container, with the socket including a ball receiving internal surface having an axle-support for receiving the axle of the ball for accommodating rotative movement of the ball therein. The passageway of the ball is aligned with the open end of said collection tube when the ball is in an open position and is out of alignment with the open end of the collection container when the ball is in a closed position. The socket includes a ball receiving portion and a resilient elastomeric seal for maintaining the ball within the ball receiving portion and for providing a liquid-tight seal between the ball and the open end of the collection container.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A closure for sealing an open end of a specimen collection container from the environment comprising: a generally spherical-shaped ball including a passageway extending therethrough and including an axle permitting rotative movement of said ball thereabout between an open position and a closed position, said passageway being aligned with said open end of said collection container when said ball is in said open position and being out of alignment with said open end of said collection container when said ball is in said closed position, and   a socket mountable on said open end of said collection tube for accommodating said rotative movement of said ball between said open position and said closed position, said socket including a ball receiving portion having a ball receiving internal surface for accommodating said rotative movement of said ball, and a resilient elastomeric seal for maintaining said ball within said ball receiving portion upon rotative movement thereof and for providing a seal between said ball and said open end of said collection container, said socket further including a ball seat supporting said resilient elastomeric seal, said ball seat including a depending cylindrical portion for engagement with an internal surface of said open end of said collection container.   
     
     
       2. A closure as in claim 1, wherein said ball seat and said resilient elastomeric seal are integral. 
     
     
       3. A closure as in claim 1, wherein said ball seat and said resilient elastomeric seal are separate components. 
     
     
       4. A closure as in claim 1, wherein said resilient elastomeric seal comprises a perimetrical ring. 
     
     
       5. A closure as in claim 4, wherein said perimetrical ring is o-shaped. 
     
     
       6. A closure as in claim 1, wherein said depending cylindrical portion of said ball seat includes outwardly directed annular ribs for engagement with said internal surface of said open end of said collection container. 
     
     
       7. A closure as in claim 1, wherein said ball receiving portion is longitudinally coupled to said ball seat. 
     
     
       8. A closure as in claim 7, wherein said longitudinal coupling of said ball receiving portion urges said ball into sealing engagement with said resilient elastomeric seal. 
     
     
       9. A closure as in claim 8, wherein said ball receiving portion and said ball seat include cooperating threaded surfaces for threaded connection of said ball receiving portion to said ball seat. 
     
     
       10. A closure as in claim 9, wherein said cooperating threads include a stop for preventing threaded disengagement of said ball receiving portion from said ball seat. 
     
     
       11. A closure for sealing an open end of a specimen collection container from the environment comprising: a generally spherical-shaped ball including a passageway extending therethrough and including an axle permitting rotative movement of said ball thereabout between an open position and a closed position, said passageway being aligned with said open end of said collection container when said ball is in said open position and being out of alignment with said open end of said collection container when said ball is in said closed position, and   a socket mountable on said open end of said collection tube for accommodating said rotative movement of said ball between said open position and said closed position, said socket including a ball receiving portion having a ball receiving internal surface for accommodating said rotative movement of said ball, and a resilient elastomeric seal for maintaining said ball within said ball receiving portion upon rotative movement thereof and for providing a seal between said ball and said open end of said collection container, wherein said resilient elastomeric seal comprises a perimetrical ring having an upper generally flat annular surface and a depending cylindrical portion capable of engaging a perimeter of said open end of said collection container, and said ball receiving portion includes an annular flange for engagement with an external surface of said open end of said collection container.   
     
     
       12. A closure as in claim 11, wherein said annular flange snap fits over said external surface of said open end of said collection container. 
     
     
       13. A closure as in claim 11, wherein an internal surface of said annular flange and said external surface of said open end of said collection container include cooperating threads for threaded engagement therebetween. 
     
     
       14. A closure as in claim 13, wherein said threaded engagement of said ball receiving portion and said external surface of said open end of said collection container urges said ball into sealing engagement with said resilient elastomeric seal. 
     
     
       15. A closure as in claim 13, wherein said cooperating threads include a stop for preventing threaded disengagement of said ball receiving portion from said collection container. 
     
     
       16. A closure as in claim 1, wherein said ball receiving internal surface of said socket includes an axle-support for receiving said axle of said ball for accommodating said rotative movement of said ball. 
     
     
       17. A closure as in claim 16, wherein said axle-support of said socket and said axle of said ball are parallel and eccentric with respect to each other. 
     
     
       18. A closure as in claim 16, wherein said axle of said ball comprises a pair of opposed protrusions on opposed surfaces of said ball and said axle-support of said socket comprises a generally spherical internal surface including a pair of opposed cavities, said opposed protrusions of said ball engaging said opposed cavities of said socket. 
     
     
       19. A closure as in claim 18, wherein said pair of opposed protrusions of said ball are generally cylindrical-shaped and said pair of opposed cavities of said socket include a pair of generally cylindrical bores for engagement therewith. 
     
     
       20. A closure as in claim 18, wherein said pair of opposed cavities of said socket include a pair of tapered surfaces and said pair of opposed protrusions of said ball include a pair of corresponding drafted surfaces for engagement therewith.